Gilles Marini

Gilles Marini first captivated audiences as Dante, the steamy neighbor living next door to Kim Cattrall's Samantha in the "Sex and the City" feature film, a role which made him instantly recognizable in the United States and abroad, followed by finishing in 2nd place on Season Eight of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars." Marini is currently starring on the critically acclaimed ABC Family drama "Switched at Birth." He also starred on ABC's marquee drama "Brothers & Sisters," and has had guest starring roles in some of primetime's favorite shows, including "Modern Family," "Hot In Cleveland," "Are You There Chelsea," "Royal Pains," "Nip/Tuck" and ABC's "Castle." Other television credits include "Ugly Betty," "Dirty Sexy Money," "Criminal Minds" and "Windfall." Film credits include "L'une et L'Autre (One and the Other)" and "Pirates of the Caribbean 3." Marini has been in national campaigns for a wide range of brands including Budweiser, Clairol, Coca Cola, Chrysler, GNC and Infiniti. He is currently the face of the Perry Ellis brand A(X)IST. Born and raised in Grasse, France, he became an American Citizen in June 2012. He started working in his father's bakery at the age of 8. After high school, Marini joined the French Army and was stationed in Paris as a fireman for the famous Brigade des Sapeurs Pompiers de Paris. It was in Paris where he met Fred Goudon, the famous photographer who introduced him to the world of modeling. After fulfilling his military duties, Marini decided to go to the United States to learn English while working as a model. In his spare time, he enjoys playing soccer as part of a neighborhood team and as part of the Hollywood United Soccer Team. He also donates a lot of his time and resources to the Maximum Hope Foundation, a charity that raises funds for families with terminally ill children. He currently resides in California with his wife, Carole, son Georges and daughter Juliana.